Women’s ice hockey celebrated senior day this past weekend with a sweep of wins, defeating both Brown and Yale 2-0. The Raiders recorded their sixth and seventh shutout of the season, breaking Colgate’s record. On Friday, the Raiders defeated Brown thanks to a strong performance by sophomore goalkeeper Liz Auby. Auby denied all 21 shots she faced, improving her season save percentage to .936. Brown’s sophomore goalkeeper Calla Isaac also put up a tough game, saving 43 Raider shots. Isaac was able to keep Colgate scoreless for the entire first period and for much of the second period until there were only three minutes left. 

With 3:04 on the clock, junior forward Bailey Larson hit senior forward Megan Sullivan with an assist, which brought the team its first goal of the game. Only a few minutes later, junior forward Jessie Eldridge was able to tally another goal for the Raiders, giving them a quick 2-0 lead after being scoreless for almost two periods.

Colgate had another standout performance on Saturday night as they matched up against Yale. Similar to Friday’s contest, the first period remained scoreless. Larson scored the first goal of the afternoon with 18:06 left in the second period. This was Larson’s eighth goal of the season. Another quick goal followed just four minutes later, as Larson added her sixteenth assist as senior forward Breanne Wilson-Bennett scored off of a rebound in front of the cage. This was Wilson-Bennett’s twelfth goal, increasing her point streak to seven games. The Bulldogs only recorded 14 shots, while the Raiders recorded 46. Junior goalkeeper Julia Vandyk recorded her fourth shutout, tying Auby for team best. 

This weekend marked the Raiders’ eleventh weekend sweep this season, as well as their third straight shutout, and advanced the senior class to the winningest graduating class in program history as they recorded their seventy-eighth win. Colgate honored seniors Kaila Pinkney, Shelby Perry, Megan Sullivan, Ellie DeCaprio, Breanne Wilson-Bennett, Annika Zalewski and Lauren Wildfang. 

“It was a bittersweet weekend as we celebrated the senior class so there were a lot of emotions but I think that brought the group closer and we were able to get the two wins,” Sullivan said.

“This senior class is a special group for me. In a lot of ways, they took a chance on coming to Colgate. We didn’t have the winning record when they arrived. They more so than anybody changed it as a group. The way they went about themselves throughout their four years – looking to pull others with them, making sure we’re doing the right things everyday. I think it’s just a testament to the group overall. When you do things right, good things come of it. I just can’t say enough. They’ve paved the way for the future.” head coach Greg Fargo said.

In a few short days the team will close out its regular season, taking on Rensselaer Friday night, Feburary 16, at 6 p.m. and Union Saturday the 17th, at 3 p.m. on the road. 

Looking forward to the ECAC Hockey playoffs, Colgate’s victories over Brown and Yale earned them the first-place vote and a home-ice advantage for the tournament quarterfinals. A victory in the first round, taking place on Friday, February 23, could secure the Raiders a home-ice advantage for the semifinals the following day.

Contact Lexi Luthringer at [email protected].